# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
"Unfitness?! I'll give you unfitness!" Where in the hell has he been for the past ten and half years? Where in the hell was he when my kids were sick?..." (Pg. 16)

Commentary:
The situation that brought this about was when Cup and Larry were in court to decide who their legal father would be. Her "dad" is trying to fight to keep her when the biological father (Mr. Burns) wants to get her as well even though he had nothing to do with her life. This makes the reader feel pity for the dad as it was clear how much he wanted to keep his children and how much he loved them but he was challenged by a man who never even gave a care to the children. All the more, with how realistic this situation is due to the greed of people, it touches the heart. The anguish that the dad felt as he was trying to fight in court could be clearly felt in the book. It leads to the big idea of family and that even if they aren't family by blood, family is more than blood but rather the feeling of home that one provides.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
"The lessons were clear: men want you only for sex; sex makes you money; money bought necessities like food, shelter, booze, and drugs; drugs and booze make life - and the sex - not so bad." (pg. 52)

Evidence and Commentary:
This quote delves deeper into to the life that Cup had faced. The influences of the people around her due to her environment led her to thinking that such a life and action was the norm even though it shouldn't be that case. The sharing of this thought makes one think of the big idea of gender and self-destruction. Due to her being a girl, the world influences her that the only reason for her existence and the only way to survive in the world is to be a toy for men. These thoughts because of the need to survive would lead to her self-destructing. The trauma and the fear would come to haunt her once she realizes all that she had to go through and that its not a normal thing. This goes for many people when the things that they thought were normal ended up not being and they would become more conscious of the "scars" that they have.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote #1: "They knew that Diane was crazy, evil, and manipulative. But for some reason, they felt that such a trick, if true, was just too cruel. I gave up trying to persuade them, deciding to leave them to their own beliefs" (46).

Commentary: After La'Vette ran away from her foster home, her foster mom, Diane had become much more abusive to the children. This abuse is clearly shown when Diane forces them to search for a cup that she purposely hid it in Connie's room, knowing that the children would not look in there. When they could not find it, she restricted them to her rooms and did not give them any dinner for the night. The abusiveness shown by Diane clearly shows the hardships that La'Vette has gone through from just an early age. This little story from her memoir creates the sense of anger and sympathy in the reader because abuse in foster homes goes unnoticed for years without any justice. As a reader, we are now rooting for our narrator to either get revenge and justice for herself and the other children or escape from this horrible living situation.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote: "Connie, too, had her own forms of cruelty: she would use her status and approval as a means of turning the foster children against each other" (48).

Commentary: Not only did the foster children receive abuse by the foster mom, they also received it from her daughter. But her form was physiological AND emotional abuse. This shows the reader that La'Vette has nobody she can go to when to feel safe or just to talk. She cannot even go to her own brother because their relationship is hatred for each other. The effect that this has on the reader is that we feel and compare our childhood to her childhood because she should not be experiencing this when she is only a child.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote: “ A little while later, as Daddy and I stood outside in the parking lot, a doctor walked up and told us Momma was dead “ Page 8.

Commentary:
It is heartbreaking to hear that one of your parents is dead. La Vette is a little girl and already dealing with a lot, but when more bad news comes, it isn’t the best. The quote describes the mother as "dead". The doctor could have stated that the mother has passed away to let her down more gently. Families have a big impact on a lot of people, especially her. When her mom dies it brings chaos into her life because her father knows what to come next. She can't go back to her father because it will lead to multiple more complications. One small change such as her mother dying, can result in large differences in her life.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
“ When I passed the dresser I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, Boy was I ugly”

Page 1

Commentary:
I can picture Cupcake calling herself ugly. I dislike the fact that she is not happy with herself and she is feeling insecure. Cupcake, in the quote, describes herself as ugly. The characteristic of ugly is stereotypical. It is a characteristic that is commonly used. She should not be putting herself down just because some people called her other names that are rude. The definition of ugly is unattractive, repulsive, or offensive. La'Vette calling herself ugly will only bring her down and make herself feel like she is always judged no matter what. Saying that she is ugly will only bring her more chaos and then those thoughts and words being thought and said will only make her life more miserable.

# data[].attributes.body
"I'll give you unfitness! Where in the hell has he been for the past ten and a half years. Why weren't they his kids then?" (Pg. 16)

Mr. Burns the father of the young daughters mother who has just passed away is now here to reclaim his children. However, the other father who has been with the children their entire lives even though they weren't blood related is experiencing heart brake of losing his children to a man who wasn't there for them when they needed him. This situation makes the readers feel pity and anger. Pity towards the father who has been raising the children with all his love and car and now anger of how the law can be so unfair at points in time where it seems that all the hard work and support that father gave does not mean nothing in the end.

# data[].attributes.body
"... it means that no matter who gets the children, Mr. Stearns controls the trust, and therefore, the life-insurance money." (Pg. 18)

Mr. Burns the children's biological father turned out to only be there at the court house getting his kids back so he can get his greedy hands on a wealthy insurance policy left by the mother. All this non-sense just to have a father experience such torment and heart break of losing the children he helped raise so some man who hasnt been in the picture comes in just for the money. And I can infer that when Mr. Burns does take the children he is not going to care for them as well as use them to get financial aid so he can use the money however he wishes to use it.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote - "Diane never really seemed to mind my running away. It just gave her extra pleasure in mistreating me upon my return. And, I was always returned because I was a problem child"(76).

Commentary - Despite Cupcake's attempts to escape the abuse and the harassment, she is always brought back to Diane's wrath. Nobody believes or cares about her well-being and it is shown every time the foster care system ignores Cupcake's pleas and evidence of physical beatings on her body. Because of this memoir, the reader can infer the number of abused children stuck in the system of foster homes and all the stories of abusive foster parents going unnoticed by the outside world.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote - "I was pissed because I knew that Diane had the girls jump me at a time when I couldn't fight back. I'd've kicked some ass if I hadn't been pregnant, but they knew that"(86).

Commentary - Diane waited until Cupcake was at her most vulnerable state to unleash her anger on her. Although she did not physically touch her, she still ordered her other foster children to attack her. She has divided the household children pinning them against each other and rewarding them to be her best "teacher's pet." Her form of psychological abuse has been much more destructive than her normal beatings because this caused Cupcake to have a miscarriage with her baby. She cannot do anything about it because, like before, Diane will always manipulate any person outside the foster home leaving CUpcake to be trapped in an endless cycle of abuse and torture.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
"And they say I had alcohol poisoning! I thought as I took a long swig of the beer. Bullshit! This stuff ain't poison! It's paradise!" (Pg. 80)

Commentary:
This situation came up when Cupcake was sent to the hospital because of overdosing on drugs. This leaves the thought of her self destruction because even if that may be a coping mechanism, the great reliance on drugs to help deal with her pains ruins her both mentally and physically as it would drain her out. Even though it may seem great and like paradise at first, the things that lead up to it will bring her down a dark road.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
"Turns out, he was interested in having "cheerleading practice." (Pg. 93)

Commentary:
As Cupcake was narrating her story, the simple fact that she said it as if it was a normal shows all the trauma that she had to go through. Once someone goes through something enough times, the trauma of the situation becomes that one would think of the it being normal and not do anything no matter how bad the situation is. This "cheerleading practice" as she says it is her trauma. The things that she had to go through growing up made her think that it was a norm and that it was perfectly fine even if our society would saw otherwise.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote: "I started to realize that everyone wanted something." page 42

Commentary:
La'Vette is currently talking to a police officer after running away from Dianes foster and Candys place. However as the police officer is asking her where does she live La'Vette begins to realize she cannot trust anyone anymore. Due to the Trauma she has experienced with her biological father wanting them however only wanted them for the money left behind by the mother only to find out he was not going to get it. Then being given to Diane to live in a foster home only to be used as a money bag so she can keep eating expensive food with her spoiled daughter in their big house. And then soon after running away from Diane La'Vette was about to be used for prostitution in exchange for money. All these experiences have traumatized poor La'Vette trust and cannot trust anyone anymore. And now what this means is she is not going to be able to get help from any responsible adult and get justice for the crimes committed against her. And since she has been used multiple times for peoples greed she is beginning to believe everyone is the same one after another wanting something from her since she is young to fuel their greed for money and trust.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote: "One good thing about hanging with kids who drank and smoked weed is that it didnt matter that I was black and they were white. The only color we all cared about was green-be it money or weed." Page: 50

Commentary:
The situation is Diane finally enrolled La'Vette into a school, which allowed her to be away from her. However now due to La'Vette not feeling accepted anywhere or have anyone to be with she can only hang out with people who share her desire for the wrong reasons in order to not feel sadness and pain anymore thanks to the affects of alcohol and drugs. And what I can infer now what may potentially happen is La'Vette could get put into a wrong situation with the wrong crowd and get into some serious trouble. And if that does occur it will be another repeat of another child who wants to feel loved by friends and the only connection she can make would be through drugs.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote- "It was then that I knew that as long as they loved me and accepted me, I could learn to hate red." ( 113 )

Commentary-  La'Vette escaped Diane's foster home and found herself getting along with a gang of people that she met. Although she has been hoping from one place to another which is causing her chaos in her life, she feels like she is growing more with this group and letting them see a side of her that no one ever sees. The gang gets to see her being happy and making memories. Back when she was living with the "foster family" she was not treated right and she was being treated like a slave. They told her not to be in certain places just because she is a part of the system and she doesn't have parents. On the other hand, when she's with the gang, she is herself and learning new activites and making friends. She is accepted for who she is.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote- "It was then that I decided I'd do anything for them. Anything, I tossed up my three middle fingers to show our beloved Gangstas sign snatched their Thunder- bird from Fly's hand" ( 120 )

Commentary- La'Vette has grown so much since she has been hanging out with her new foster family gang. She is considered a gangster and she is proud and she honors it as well. Even though, La'Vette wanted to stand up for herself and say what she though was right in Diane's place. Back then, if she would have stood up to her she would have a bunch of problems and more punishments to come in her life but now she feels like she can say something and be commented on without making her feel bad about what actions she does or what thoughts she feels like saying. In return to the gang accepting her, it shows a greater implication that they will always be there for her. She returns the favor by proving her growth by holding up her gangsta sign.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
"My nervousness increased when a third boy came out of the house. He casually strolled up and introduced himself as Kevin." (pg. 99)

Commentary:
This situation brings light to the situation that Cupcake is being put into because of her decisions. Being placed in such a place, Cupcake is alone facing the consequences of her past decisions. With the past situations that Cupcake was placed in before, we can assume the worst will happen to her especially since there is a larger group of boys. This may leave her with more regrets thinking back about why she is doing all this because of the accumulation of subconscious traumas.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
"It was important to be able to handle a gun because everyone was expected to be down for the set, to the point of shooting rival bangers if it came to that." (pg. 116)

Commentary:
Cupcake is not only involved in drugs and sex addicts but now in gang rivalry. This proves the point that getting involved in such things will lead to bigger problems in the long run especially since it could lead you into doing things that you would never do in your right mind. There are greater consequences that it leads to.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
"They felt the same unconditional love, safety, and power we did and quickly wanted to become a permanent part of it." (pg. 128)

Commentary:
To the readers, this quote gives a sense of family and familial love that people normally yearn for. Cupcake is explaining that the younger siblings of the gangstas are also being influenced to be the future generation and that the reason why they are so open to it is because they want the love and care that the gang can provide. As it is a normal thing that people yearn for, it is natural for the kids to be open to it and especially Cupcake who had never experienced such a feeling in a long time.

The big idea of family that this brings also sheds light to the situation that a lot of the kids are in. One of the reason why they would make the decision to join the gang is because they don't have enough of that love that they yearn for in their environment so they go to different places to get it. That is a giant motive for their actions and decisions.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote - "I loved the camaraderie and the fact that I finally belonged somewhere, with people who truly gave a fuck about me"(114).

Commentary - For the first time since being stripped from her "Dad" and Uncle Jr, Cupcake finally has a group of people that care about her. Throughout the first part of the book, we have seen nothing but neglect and abuse, and now we are seeing her get taken in by the Gangstas and raise as a little gang banger. Although not the right type of family people need at such a young age, she still considers them as family, something she has not done to anybody besides her "ex-boyfriend" in a very long time. There is no turning back at this point in time for her because once you join a gang, you are forever a part of it no matter what.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote - "In the middle of all those flying hand signs, crazy slang, and sea of blue, I felt incredibly loved, extremely powerful, and totally safe" (118).

Commentary - Despite the dangerous situation Cupcake is in, because she considers her gang as family, she feels very safe around them. To the outside world, this might be a bad thing to join, but since she has not been surrounded by people who love her for a very long time, this is the best thing to happen to her. Having a family and people around you that care is good for not only Cupcake's mental and emotional health. The reader has seen the transformation that she has gone through since joining; she seems to be more happy about life and excited to go hang out with them. Joining the gang with her cousin Fly is a definite upgrade from living in the foster care system with Diane.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote: ", Besides, I'd tell myself, after the never-ending beans and half-cooked meat you've had to endure, these trash-can burgers are like steak!" (Pg. 76)

Commentary:
At this point in the book, Cupcake was just returned to Diane's by a social worker and hated the decision of being put back into that abusive home. Instead, she hopped out the window and ran away once again. Only to turn to the only thing she knows for work at her current age is doing tricks and getting paid for them while hitchhiking. While only using her money for alcohol and weed to feel good and forget all the troubles and struggles she has been experiencing in her life. And now is dumpster diving for food in McDonald's dumpsters in order to survive. Its sad all the trauma Cupcake has had to endure all leading her to the sad gateway for freedom from this world is drugs and alcohol. And in this memoir people who have turned to drugs and alcohol arent all bad people its just the parents, the government, and most of humanity has shut their voices off only to take them back to the place that causes them so much pain. And when there isnt a liable adult to help then its just better for them in their eyes to have their minds disappear and live carefree no matter what happens.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote- " She'd been a devoted Methodist all her life. She was always prayin' and signin' church songs. She'd even been a Sunday- school teacher. And for what? To end up loosing her daughter, getting Alzheimer's, and being constantly abused? (154)

Commentary: Cupcake is not the only one that is facing chaos in her life. She isn't the only one who has to face life changing problems that affects her life for whatever reason. Cupcake hasn't talked to her grandma in years and doesn't know what has happened in her life. Once she asked how she was doing, she figure out what was happening about her daughter. Chaos had hit her like a tornado and it came out of nowhere but it happened for a certain reason. Although her grandmother has been doing a lot of good deeds in her life, chaos, trials, and tribulations happen. Chaos happens quote a bit in this book and it hits people that you would have never thought of.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote- " Any guilt they had did me no good. My baby was dead. I was angry and plotting revenge. Actually, I was plotting murder. They murdered my baby, so they all deserved to die" ( 90 ).

Commentary:
Cupcake was pregnant and it was one way of having her actual family because the place she was in, she had no family in her foster home. Her dad wasn't able to see her and she disliked her own brother. Once she had a baby, their foster family had killed her baby, leaving her in pain and not having a chance of starting her own family. The killing of her baby resulted into having greater implications. Before her baby was even in her, chaos had taken over her life because of all she has been through. Now, chaos has led her into figuring out a way for them to pay for what they had done to her. The chaos led her to thinking how they had to pay for what they did to her.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote," Hell, Tim was my man and he didnt believe me. The judge in San Diego didnt believe me. Social workers didnt believe me. With my luck, if I did kill her, I'd just end up in jail; so she'd still win." Pg. 93

At this time Cupcake has just come to the realization she cannot kill Diane or else she will be sent to jail to live the rest of her life behind bars. All because she has endured the abuse up until this point doing nothing wrong even though she became pregnant she did all the work Diane barked at her to do. Only to end up in the garage to get jumped by Dianes little minions including the devil Connie.  And thanks to their devilish, heartless, and privileged actions the result ended up them committing murder on Cupcakes baby. As a reader which is myself I do not blame Cupcake for having the thought and trying to kill Diane with Poison Kool-aid. Anyone who has been shunned away by society, beaten up and degraded of how worthless they are, and now has lost their own flesh and blood child to heartless actions can cause so much trauma and emotional damage; would push anyone over the edge.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote - "'Sounds like you gave him more than a piece!' Daddy joked, grabbing me and giving me a big hug. 'That's my girl!' he said with a big smile" (172).

Commentary - Cupcake finally cuts off Mr. Burns after all the neglect and abuse he put her through with Diane. Now that she is with her Daddy, she can finally live her life with the true family that actually cares about her. Although they have been separated for years due to the foster care system, their bond as father and daughter has not gone away and Cupcake realizes this the more she spends time with him on a daily basis.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote - "And I had my daddy and Jr. back" (173).

Commentary - While she did feel like family during her time as a gang banger, Cupcake truly feels at home when she is reunited with her Daddy and Jr. Her commenting saying that she has both of them back means that her love for them has not ever gone away. She was waiting for the day to come ever since she was torn from them by Mr. Burns and that is the reason why she got into so much trouble and conflict as she constantly ran away from the foster home. She needed someone there to mean something to her and although her time with the Gangsta Crips was very special for her, she ultimately needed her Daddy and Jr back as those someones.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote:
"I could tell that he was trying not to cry, trying to be "hard" like the other homies. Only seven years old and already he was learning how to hide fear and sadness." (pg. 139)

Commentary:
The situation and comments that Cupcake gives lets us as readers understand the place that they are put in. With a seven year old child already hiding their feelings, it shows the situation that they are stuck with. A surrounding environment that makes you grow up unhealthy puts one at greater risk of regretting things and becoming numb in the future. This will leave a psychological scar on the boy as he doesn't get an outlet for his sadness but is rather shown dark and hard scenes in life. This would make him think that such situations are a norm and think less of it as he grows up.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote- " With tears still falling and my body still shaking from the intense anger, I told him what had just happened and how glad I was that I'd finally gotten a chance to give Mr. Burns a piece of my mind. " (Page 172)

Commentary- Through Cupcakes mind, it was very chaotic and eventful. After Mr. Burns was apparently missing them and trying to find them. She had the courage to stand up to him and curse him out because all of that was a lie and she knew that he was making it up for her to go with him. Giving Mr. Burns a piece of her mind made her chaotic and rant off about all the different things that he did that turned out to become negative in her life. The chaotic moment of cursing out Mr. Burns made her realize how far she has come and that she does not need her "fake dad" to be there for her because she has found a way to live on her own without him.

# data[].attributes.body
Quote- " Shit, I was successful. I had a lucrative business and tons of friends. I stayed loaded. And I was the most popular chick in the whole complex-- if that ain't success, what is? " (Page 163)

Commentary- Being successful and loaded is new for Cupcake because it is new to her life. Ever since she got herself into a new foster home, she made friends that started a different lifestyle. She started selling weed and a variety of others. Her life turned upside down with her living by selling weed and getting a lot of money. This situation brought Cupcakes life into a chaotic lifestyle.